Page 32 - Mars Sample Return News Today

A key space exploration mission has been placed in jeopardy after the US Senate proposed to gut its funding in the coming fiscal year.

Cost Increases May Lead to Mars Mission Cancellation

The six-wheeled Perseverance explorer just packed its 20th sample from the Red Planet, which will hopefully be returned to Earth via a future mission.

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 20, 2023 - The six-wheeled geologist is getting some assistance in its search for diverse rock samples that could be brought to Earth for deeper investigation. NASAs Perseverance Mars rover sealed the t

The Senate is signaling deep skepticism about NASA’s ambitious plans to fetch samples of soil from the red planet, expressing concerns over the mission’s cost and viability. Senate appropriators are offering just $300 million in funding for fiscal 2024 for the Mars mission — less than a third of the $949 million budget request from…

The House has yet to weigh in. And much can still happen before this threat is realized.

Cost Increases May Lead to Mars Mission Cancellation

The Senate committee's budget report raised concerns about NASA's technical issues. NASA's ambitious Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission has drawn criticism from the US Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, prompting the panel to propose a fiscal year 2024 budget allocation for the mission at $300 million, less than one-third of NASA's $949 million request.

A Senate Appropriations Committee budget report is suggesting NASA cancel Mars Sample Return if the agency cant rein in the missions growing costs.

The House Committee is recommending a $25 billion budget for 2024, which is $2 billion shy of what the space agency had requested.